Amy Worden

Inquirer Staff Writer

State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is nothing if not blunt. The Butler County Republican positions himself at the center of almost every controversial issue in the Capitol, be it immigration, gun control or voter ID.

Now he's dived into the middle of the hot "47 percent" debate by suggesting, on a Pittsburgh radio broadcast, that Pennsylvania's new voter ID law, will only disenfranchise the "lazy."

Metcalfe on Wednesday told KDKA Radio that the law, which is still being fought in the courts, may exclude those on the "public dole," like the people GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney referred to in the leaked video taken at a private fundraising event - who are too lazy to go get a proper ID.

Metcalfe, the lead sponsor of the voter ID legislation signed by Gov. Corbett in March, said the burden is on the citizenry to get the documents needed to vote.

When asked about the tens of thousands, if not more Pennsylvanians who may not be able to vote on Nov. 6, Metcalfe cited Romney’s mention of the 47% of the country who will never “take personal responsibility and care for their lives” as evidence that some citizens do not deserve to vote.

HOST: Are you absolutely convinced…that the methods to implement this law are effective and will in fact make sure no legitimate voter will be disenfranchised?

METCALFE: I don’t believe any legitimate voter that actually wants to exercise that right and takes on the according responsiblity that goes with that right to secure their photo ID will be disenfranchised. As Mitt Romney said, 47% of the people that are living off the public dole, living off their neighbors’ hard work, and we have a lot of people out there that are too lazy to get up and get out there and get the ID they need. If individuals are too lazy, the state can’t fix that.